Life Goes On, Right?
by Fidelian
Summary: The war is over and the good side won. Life is going great, when suddenly Hermione gets a frightening message... RHr & HG. Another version of HBP, so no spoilers. Please R&R! Rated T, just in case. It's serious, but also fun and fluff.
1. Thanks

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry, Ron, Hermione, or any of the other characters or places in this story.

* * *

Ron looked out over the silent lake. He'd always enjoyed sitting under that perticular tree with branches so long that they practically touched the black water underneath. It always used too soothe him in the past, to hear the gentle clucking as a branch touched the otherwise still water. 

But today it didn't soothe him the least, even though he should be more relieved than in almost six years. They had won. Voldemort was defeated and gone. But it hadn't come for free. Professor McGonagall was gone, as was Lupin. Their near and dears only consolement was that the two had died hero deaths, something they would've wanted.

But now, Ron and the others was about to face their biggest challenge yet. Normal life. Without Voldemort making their lives hell, how would they decide to spend them?

Suddenly, a strange sensation hit him.

He wasn't alone.

When he heard a branch cracking on the ground right behind him, he turned around and jumped over the man, landing on top of him on the ground.

Only it wasn't a man. It was a woman. A _furious_ bushy-headed woman he knew very well.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, you stupid git! Get off me!"

Ron could feel his ears reddening as he stood and awkwardly helped Hermione to her feet.

"Sorry," he said, "habit. From the war, I mean."

Her face immediately softened and she laid a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it slightly.

"Yeah. It's alright. Sit down with me?"

Ron nodded, still blushing slightly, and sat down at the tree next to her. She then started take of her shoes and socks and did the same to him. Then she dipped her toes into the water, shrilled a little, and put her whole feet in. Ron, not knowing what else to do, did the same.

After a good while just sitting there in silence, Hermione spoke up.

"Ron?"

"Hmm?" he answered a little too fast.

She turned her head towards him, her cheeks a shade of pink.

"Did I ever thank you for... saving my life?"

Their eyes locked, and he felt his throat becoming really dry.

"N-No," said Ron, his voice catching in his throat.

Hermione leaned forwards and placed a soft kiss on his lips. Then she stroke his cheek affectionately, stood up and went back to the castle. After her she left a very confused and red-faced seventeen-year-old boy with feet that was instantly becoming warmer and warmer despite the cold water they were in.

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**A/N:** So, what do y'all think? I know I'm pretty sucky at serious things, my major in fics is humour. Do you think I should carry on with this story? REVIEW! ;) It's pretty short, but I just wanted a solid ground to begin on. Also, you should know that I'm Swedish, and therefor not exactly an expert on English, but I do my best. Please R&R to keep me going! 

TTFN - Ta ta for now!


	2. Scars

**TWO DAYS EARLIER**

_He quickly turned around as he heard her scream for him._

_"ROON! PLEASE HELP ME!" she sobbed._

_Oh Merlin, she was crying. _

_He ran past battling wizards and witches with nothing but her safety in his head, and as he saw her he suddenly lost his breath._

_The bastard was trying to rape her._

_The rage filled him up inside, and he slowly walked up to them. The Death Eater hadn't noticed him yet, even though Ron was practically standing on his heels. Then, even more slowly he lifted his wand._

_"Avada Kedavra."_

_That wasn't his voice. It was a voice filled with grief and rage. It just wasn't him._

_The Death Eaters body instantly went soft, but Hermione stayed under it, sobbing for her life. Ron pushed the dead body over and looked at her. Thank Merlin, it didn't look like the Death Eater had gotten very far in raping this beautiful innocent girl. Her pants were still on and pretty much intact, but her sweater was practically torned. Not knowing what else to do or where to lay his eyes, he took of his own sweater and dragged it over her head. But she wouldn't look at him._

_"Is h-he dead?" she whimpered._

_Ron nodded._

_"You're safe now, 'Mione."_

_She just broke down. Threw her arms around him and cried and cried. Not knowing what else to do, he just patted her head softly as the war around them began to slowly subside._

* * *

"Hey, sleepy head!"

Hermione opened her eyes. Had she just nodded of? IN CLASS? Rons eyes bore into her with such entertainment that she slapped him on the shoulder. Harry just snickered at the two.

"Merlin," Ron said, grinning so widely that she half-expected it to reach his ears. "You just fell asleep! In class! Bloody hell, who are you and what have you done with Hermione?"

Hermione blushed. She didn't like to look into his eyes much these days. There was so much affection and gentleness in them, it was easy to get stuck.

"You do know that you shouldn't think about me and concentrate on class, don't you?" she snapped, smiling successfully.

"Yeah well, you do know that you snore, don't you?" he winked at her.

That did it for Harry, he was now frusting with laughter.

"Come on, guys," he said while drying his tears of laughter. "We really should be writing notes on the class."

"Yeah it's not as if Hermiones are gonna be very good today, is it?" Ron snickered.

Hermione who had currently been picking at her fingernails shot up her head and gasped. But as she opened her mouth to snap at him, she was cut short.

"Yeah 'Mione, I know. You probably already have memorized this whole chapter of the study book anyway."

'Oh Merlin,' Hermione thought, 'that lop-sided smile is going to be the death of me.' Suddenly the door opened and professor Flitwick stuck his tiny head inside the room.

"Excuse me, professor Binns, I need Potter, Weasley and Granger."

The ghost nodded his head, and the three got up with confused looks on their faces. Flitwick was the new leader of Gryffindor, now that McGonagall was gone.

As they reached Gryffindor Tower, Flitwick stopped and turned to the trio.

"Now, don't be alarmed by what you see."

They nodded confusedly and opened the portrait hole that led into the common room. That didn't look any different, so they looked up at the dormitories and guessed that was it. Flitwick mumbled some incantation and ushered the three up the stairs to the girls dorms. 'Guess the incantation was so that boys could walk the stairs then,' Hermione thought. As they arrived at the dorm Hermione shared with Lavender and Parvati, they gasped. All of Hermiones belongings was spread all over the room, most of it broken and teared. They looked up, and on the wall it said 'MUDBLOOD'.

Hermione just stood there as her eyes teared up. This wasn't supposed to happen. The war was over. This just wasn't happening. As she started to sob she could feel two strong arms around her. No, there was four. Her heart flipped as she realised that both Harry and Ron was hugging and comforting her. What would she have done without them?

She was soon about to find out.

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**A/N**: What do you think? Review, people!;) Next one's coming right up, probably tonight.

TTFN - Ta ta for now!


	3. Mudblood

The next morning Hermione woke up with a smile on her face. She didn't really know why, considering the events of the night before, but it was just stuck on her lips. So she shrugged and got up. When she got down to the common room it was completely empty. She frowned. Ron and Harry always was there waiting for her, talking about qudditch or playing a quick game of wizards chess. But not today. She decided to go up to their dorm to wake them up, as she guessed that they still were asleep.

As soon as she'd climbed the stairs and walked up to the big wooden door leading to their dorm, she got a strange uncomfortable feeling. Resolutely pushing it aside, she knocked on the door. When no answer came she knocked again. And again. Frowning deeply now, she decided to just go inside.

The sight that met her eyes was the most terrifying one she'd ever seen. There was blood everywhere, on the walls, the bedspreads. Just everywhere. She looked around with her mouth hanging open, and then she saw them. They were lying in their bed, covered in their own blood. But the worst thing of all was that their eyes were open. And they had a terrified look over them. Too empty to even cry, she just fell onto the stonefloor that was covered with a layer of blood. Her best friends blood.

"You see, mudblood. That's were you'll always be. In the blood of your friends."

Hermione was too broken up to even think about the fact that she knew that voice. All that she could do was to lie on the floor, now crying so hard that her whole body shook. They were gone. They had left her. What was she –

She woke up with a start.

Without even thinking, she ran down into the common room, and then straight up to the boys dormatory. She opened the big door and ran in, ripping her best friends bed curtains aside. When she saw them lying there sleeping peacefully, she broke down. Falling onto the floor, she grabbed at her knees and started to cry quietly. The relief was too big to even describe. But she couldn't seem to stop crying. The war was over! Lord bloody Voldemort was dead! They were supposed to be safe now. That thought made her cry even harder, and suddenly a hand was laid on her shoulder. Without even know how she got there, she was suddenly lying in a warm bed that smelled like someone she knew extremely well.

* * *

Ron looked at the sobbing girl on his bed. Confusedly, he pulled Harrys curtains shut again, and lay down next to Hermione, who was now sleeping. He pulled up the covers so they covered them and stroked her cheek affectionately, eventually dozing of himself.

**A/N:** Very very short, I know. But on the bright side, the next chappie won't be long! Tell me what you think about this story, where do you think it should go? R&R!

TTFN - Ta ta for now!


	4. Waking

Hermione woke up to the sound of snoring. And the funny thing was that none of the girls in her dorm snored. She opened her eyes widely. OK, not so funny now. She was in Rons bed! How had she gotten here? Slowly, she started to remember. Now panicking, she tried to get ourt of the bed, but she was stuck under Rons long legs. She didn't even have time to think about how good it felt to wake up only mere inches from his face. At the thought, she stopped for a moment and just looked at him.

He really was beautiful with his ginger hair all over the pillow. His freckled face looked so peaceful and angelic that she couldn't help but smiling. Glancing down further over him the smile faded and the panic returned. He wasn't wearing a shirt. He wasn't wearing a shirt! Quickly, she covered her eyes. Who was she to stare at her best friend halfnaked! Although, a quick sneakpeek –

A sudden sound startled her. Someone was awake, and she couldn't get out of the bed! Well, best know who it is, anyways...

She stretched out over Rons sleeping form and dragged a little on the curtain so that she could glare out. The sound came from Harrys bed. Although it didn't sound like someone waking up, it sounded more like someone... kissing? Suddenly the curtains was pushed aside carefully and she was looking at...

"GINNY?"

The redheaded girl froze. Slowly turning her head up, she noticed the glitch in the curtain opposite her. Hermione scolded at her.

"Hermione?" Ginny wheezed. "What the bloody hell are you doing here? Who's bed is that?"

At that, a black-haired head peeked out from the curtains behind her.

"HERMIONE?" Harry whispered disbelievingly. "What are you doing in Ron's bed?"

"RON'S BED!" Ginny shrieked.

Hermione flinched as the body beneath her started moving, and then a red mess of hair was seen next to her. Ron looked groggily at the crowd next to his bed.

"Hello all," he actually smiled dreamily. "Wuzzup?"

* * *

OK, Hermione could safely say that she'd never be able to look Ron in the face again. But it was kinda hard when he sat opposite her at the breakfast table and his sister and Harry kept grinning at her and then nodding towards Ron meaningly. But Ron didn't seem to notice at all. He just smiled at everyone and chewed his eggs with his mout half open.

Some things never do change.

* * *

**A/N:** Yup, another mini-chappie. Sorry guys. Although, this was a little bit lighter anyways. Icraved a little fluff ;) More to come, my dears, more to come...

The next one's probably up tomorrow. As usual, be kind R&R.

TTFN - Ta ta for now!


	5. Breakfast with Malfoy

Ron looked across the table at Hermione. She really was beautiful. He didn't even care that she was scrunching up her nose as if she was smelling something bad, or that she had some food smeared across her mouth. Well okay, the food was bugging him just a bit. But also, what an opportunity...

Without really thinking, he stretched across the table and drove his finger over her upper lip, where the food had stuck. Hermione shot up her head and looked at him questioningly. He gulped.

"Eh. Just a bit of mashed potatoes there." Stupid, stupid.

She relaxed, although she looked a bit... disappointed?

"Right. Thanks."

Ron was just about to smile at her when he heard a most obnoxious voice.

"Well, well. Such a sight. A Weasel and a bookworm. Ain't love most grand?"

Malfoy. Crap.

"Really, it tears my heart to see it."

Ron sighed and looked up at the blondes disgustingly smiling face.

"And why is that?" His voice was so cold.

Malfoy stopped smiling and leaned across the table, close to Hermiones ear.

"Because it won't last long,"he stated in amost serious voice."Toodles."

And with that he got up and left, Crabbe and Goyle closely behind him. Ron looked after him, in an immensely worse mood than before.  
Suddenly he felt something moving under his hand, and realised he still had his finger on Hermiones lip.  
He pulled it away quickly and didn't look up to see Hermione blushing a fiery red.

"Sorry," he mumbled under his breath and started eating again. He couldn't believe he hadn't taken the finger away when Malfoy came.

Hermione sighed, and he was even more ashamed. She really must hate him now.

"It's alright," she answered just as quietly. And deep inside, she just wished he'd do it again.

It was eerily quiet around the table after that. Not able to take it any longer, Harry spoke up.

"So, it's a beautiful Saturday morning. I know exactly what we should do!"

Hermione instantly shone up.

"Ooh, weekend studying!" she shrieked while clapping her hands in excitement.

Ginny shook her head slowly and took Hermiones hands gently in hers.

"No sweetie," she said as if Hermione was five years old, "he means quidditch. Don't you, Harry?"

Harry nodded of course.

"See?" Ginny continued.

Ron giggled quietly as Hermione turned her excited beam into a deep frown.

"Flying," she said as if it was the most disgusting word ever to leave her lips.

"You betcha," Ginny grinned. "And you're coming."

Hermione gasped.

"I certainly am not! Height is a horror! And by the way, I don't even have a broom."

Ginnys face lit up as she had a wonderful idea.

"That's alright," she said with a mischevious smile. "You can ride with Ron."

Hermione gasped again, in true horror this time. Ron did the same, splurting out pumpkin juice over his history book.

"I'm riding with Ron?" a terrified Hermione whimpered.

Ginny nodded and traded a glance with Harry who instantly said:

"You betcha."

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**A/N: So, this is todays chappie. What did you all think? You see, this is where I shamelessly ask you to review. So please do. -lol- Next chappie's up in a bit. And thank you so much for the last chappies reviews, by the way! You really know how to warm ones heart! And with that,**

**TTFN - Ta ta for now!**


	6. Flying and hairpulling

'Flying?' Hermione thought. ' _Flying _? No bloody way.'

She wasn't going to do it. They would not be able to get her on a broom. Even if she got to go on it with Ron. Who probably would sit right behind her. Perhaps with his arms around her waist when they were standing still. And perhaps then they would stay still in the air and he would reach down and kiss her softly. And then she would yelp and fall off.

"No bloody way," she stated. Ginny groaned.

"But Hermione!" she whined. "It will be really nice, I promise!"

They were up in the girls dorms getting changed for their broom ride, but Hermione was not going to let this go easily.

She glared at her redheaded friend. "Flying is not nice. It's violent and fast and quite life threatening, really."

Ginny sighed and put her hands on her waist.

"Hermione," she said warningly. "If you don't do this I'll tell Ron you love him."

She gasped loudly and put a hand on her chest.

"You wouldn't! I mean, I don't love him!"

"Yes you do."

"No I don't"

"No you don't."

"Yes I do," Hermione said irritated, and then realised what it was she'd said. Her eyes went wide, and she did the only thing she could think of.

She pulled Ginnys hair.

"OOOW! You sodden git!"

Hermione let go.

"Ginny, mind your language, honestly..."

Ginny rubbed her head and looked at Hermione as if she couldn't believe her ears.

"You're insane, woman," she stated. "But you ARE in love with Ron."

Hermione didn't answer.

"Oh, honestly do you think I haven't noticed? Even Harry has!"

"Yeah right!" Hermione finally spoke up. "And what's up with you two anyway, weren't you snogging this morning in his bed?"

Ginny blushed and threw a big gray sweatshirt at Hermione, who got it in the head and yelped.

"Here, put this on," Ginny said without even acknowledging Hermiones glare. "It's quite chilly outside."

* * *

'Hmpf,' Hermione thought, 'it is quite chilly out here. Why must Ginny always be right?'

She was seriously pouting. Even Ron smiling at her didn't cheer it up as it usually did. He always used to be the one to make her insane, and then making her happy again. But now his smile wasn't enough.

"Hermione?" he said nervously when they'd gotten to the quiddith pitch.

"Hmpf," she answered, not looking at him.

"Want to sit in front of me or behind me?"

She sighed. "In front of you."

So he mounted the broom and left space for her in the front. She rolled her eyes and sat on the broom. Actually, this was quite nice. She could make out Rons every chest muscle from behind her. A grin spread across her face. Really nice.

"Ready?" Ron asked, he also smiling.

"Yeah," she answered.

As they flew up into the air she gasped. It was like a rollercoaster. Why had she never even given this a shot before? The wind flew through her hair, and she basked in the sunshine. They got higher and higher, and after a while she couldn't even see Harry or Ginny anymore.

"Where are we going?" she asked Ron.

"There's something I want to show you," he answered and got them up even higher.

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah I know. Everything seems dandy now, but darker times are ahead... Although, not that dark. Hehe, anyways, thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter! Really appreciate it. Keep reviewing!

TTFN


	7. More flying and some snogging

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked as theyflew even further away from the castle.

"You'll see," Ron smiled at her.

She huffed and shivered a little. The wind was quite chilly. Suddenly she could feel Rons warm breath at her ear.

"Are you cold?" he whispered.

She couldn't really find her voice, so she gave a silent nod. He pulled her closer on the broom and put one arm around her waist. She gasped and her eyes widened. How did he get so damn pushy? Not that she minded...

"Are we there yet?" she whimpered.

"We're here," Ron nodded and turned the broom around.

Hermione gasped again. The view was absolutely breath taking. The sky was blue with small clouds sprinkled across it, and she could see the great towers of Hogwarts at the horizon. She could feel Rons hand rubbing her stomach gently and she giggled.

"That tickles," she whispered.

She could just imagine how Rons eyes lit up at that, and she instantly realized her mistake.

"Does it now?" he grinned. "Well, in that case..."

And he tickled her. She was choking with laughter and he stopped only when they both almost fell off the broom. After about ten minutes of watching the magnificent view, they decided it was time to return to the quidditch pitch and see what Harry and Ginny were up to. Hermione just prayed they weren't doing what she thought they were doing.

But unfortunately her suspicions were correct. They were lying in the middle of the pitch in the grass, snogging like crazy. When they touched ground, Ron immediately stomped of to the pair and Hermione flinched. This was not going to end well. Or at least she didn't think what happened would happen.

Ron just watched the pair over, nodded and went back to Hermione.

"Alright," he smiled at her, "let's get going and give those love birds some privacy, eh?"

She just stood there with her mouth hanging open.

"Aren't you going to like..." she started, "kill Harry or something?"

Ron waved a hand.

"Nah," he said. "As long as there's no hand under the clothing they can do what they want."

Hermione tried desperately to close her mouth, but found it impossible. As they walked back she somehow managed to do it finally.

"So," she said, "I didn't really expect you to act so maturely about this."

"Yeah well," he drove a hand though his messy hair, "now I know a little about how love feels like, I guess."

She tried not to be disappointed but failed miserably. He was in love? With who?

"Oh, okay. That's good then, I suppose."

He just smiled at her as they continued to walk up to the school.

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**A/N: **Yup. Thanks for all the great reviews! What did you think about this chappie then? Let me know. TTFN.


	8. Happiness and darkness

Hermione turned the page of her book. The common room was empty, the gentle cracking from the fireplace her only company. It really was getting late, but she didn't care. She couldn't sleep anyway, and when she occasionally did all she dreamt about was her friends deaths. That and Ron. It was almost equally bad, especially now that she knew that he fancied - no, loved - some one. She sighed. It was probably for the best that she didn't know who that lucky girl was.

Suddenly she heard steps behind her. She closed the book with a bang and spun around prepared for the worst, but certainly not what met her eyes -

A half-sleeping Ron in nothing but pajama bottoms.

"'Mione," he yawned, "I know I've said this before, but you truly are insane."

"Huh?" she said, her mouth hanging slightly open at the sight of Rons bare chest. Nice, really nice. She shook her head. "Why am I insane?"

He pointed to his wrist to indicate an invisible watch.

"It's past one a.m.! Sleep, ever heard of the concept?"

Hermione smiled at him. He was just adorable with his hair all messy like that. She desperately wanted to run a hand through it, but thought it better not to. She might just wake him properly if she did, she thought with a big grin.

"Honestly, what is so damn funny?" Ron sighed.

"Nothing," Hermione shook her head. "Just reading."

"Let me guess -" Ron said while scratching his chin in a mocking way.

"Yeah yeah, it is Hogwarts: A History!" she interrupted him and threw her hands in the air. "Now, what do you really want?"

"Oh, nothing!" he said cheekily and plopped down on the couch right beside her.

They were silent for a while. Hermione was just about to open her mouth to say something when she felt a big hand slap her thigh lately. She quickly turned up her head and looked at Ron with a horrified expression he didn't seem to notice.

"Did you know that Ginny's up in our dorm as we speak?" Not an ounce of anger in his voice, Hermione thought. Strange.

She tried desperately to not mind the warm hand that still was on her right thigh, and find her tongue instead.

"So," she said quite high-pitched, "you're really okay with Ginny and Harry doing... whatever they're doing?"

"Well I don't expect them to embark fully on their relationship just yet, after all they've only been together for a week."

Hermione flinched.

"Actually..." she started, then hesitated a little before continuing, "from what Ginny's been telling me recently it's been like three months or something..."

Rons eyes grew wide and he turned to look at her with a hasted look in his deep blue eyes that held so much magic... whoa, enough with the overdescribing, Hermione thought.

"What?" he said calmly and the hand on her thigh instantly grabbed a little.

"Eh, well -"

"What!" The grip was getting harder. Hermione flinched.

"WHAT?"

"RON, CALM YOURSELF!" she shrieked while grabbing his hand.

He was breathing heavily but seemed to have calmed down a bit. He relaxed a little and before she knew it, his thumb was gently rubbing her palm. It made her shiver a little and he moved closer to her on the couch.

"I'm sure they won't do anything they'd regret later," she said in a low voice.

Ron nodded and leaned in carefully, catching her chin and lifting her face to his.

"I'd rather not talk about them just now," he whispered huskily.

Hermione nodded weakily and closed her eyes. He smiled and leaned in further, pressing his lips gently against hers.

'So,' Hermione thought, 'if this is Heaven, count me in!'

About an hour later she was snuggled up against his chest and listening to his snoring. Sometimes he kind of made a gurgling sound and she couldn't help but giggle every single time, making him almost turn around and crush her. She had a small suspicion that he was doing it on purpous.

Half an hour after that, Hermione too was lightly asleep. Suddenly she was woken by a sound. She sat up, instantly searching the common room for any signs of human beings, but saw none. Standing up, she walked over to the fireplace and whipped her wand at it, causing it to be relit. Suddenly the sound was heard again. It was just like footsteps. She went to the portrait hole and pushed it open, turning around to give the sleeping Ron a loving glance as she did. When she stepped out into the hall she was suddenly feeling cold, not having Rons body to keep her warm.

She took a few cautious steps before screaming. Some one had put a cold hand over her mouth.

"Quiet, you mudblood," she heard a terrible wheezing in her ear.

'I know that voice,' was the last thing she thought before the world went black.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you sooo much for the reviews on the last chapter! I'm desperately trying to make the chapters longer, but I thought this was a good place to stop for tonight. Let me know what you think. Who might it be? ;) TTFN.**


	9. Kidnapped!

When Hermione woke up, she gasped. She was in the Shrieking Shack, tied to a chair. What the hell was happening? Suddenly she remembered. She had gone out in the corridor in the middle of the night and, from the looks of it, gotten herself kidnapped.

When she thought back a little further she remembered kissing Ron. She instantly got warmer. He really was a good kisser, so gentle and full of love. Suddenly something hit her. It was her Ron was in love with! She hadn't really thought about that. Sure, they'd had a delightful snogging session, but Hermione hadn't thought about the fact that Ron LOVED her. But she certainly knew she loved him too. Suddenly the walls whined, and interrupted Hermiones happy thoughts and big grin.

She squinted her eyes at the open door, and in the darkness she could see a human figure. As the person stepped into the dark room she gasped.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Meanwhile, in the common room, Ron was sleeping peacefully on the slim couch. Suddenly he was about to turn around, when he accidentally slipped off and fell onto the floor with a yelp. He scrambled to his feet and looked around. Why was he in the common room? He started to think, and suddenly remembered one big thing, he had kissed Hermione. With a big grin on his face he slumped down on the couch again.

He had finally kissed her, and she had kissed him back. The warmness around his heart was threatening to take him over, as he realised something. She was nowhere to be seen. Why would she have left? 'Maybe she regrets it,' he thought while the grin vanished from his face. 'I have to see her.'

He got up from the couch and went over to the stairs that led upto the girls dorms. Then he grabbed his wand, placed an anti-gravitation charm on himself and floated up the stairs before sneaking into the seventh years dorm.

In there, he stepped up to Hermiones bed, careful as to not wake the other girls, and gently pulled her curtain aside. The bed was empty. He frowned. Where could she be? He checked the bathroom before heading downstairs to the common room again. Then he went up to his own dorm and looked through Harrys trunk. He found what he was looking for and went down to the common room once again. When he had gotten to the couch he picked up a piece of parchment and flicked his wand at it.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he mumbled and watched as the map and all the little footsteps could be seen.

Then he quickly searched for the footsteps that held 'Hermione Granger' but had no such luck. She wasn't on the map. He frowned. What was he going to do next?

- - - - - - - - - -

Hermione just stared at the person standing in front of her. After a minute of incomprehension she opened her mouth.

And laughed.

"Goyle?" she gasped between laughs. "What are you doing?"

Gregory Goyle went from proud and puffed up to indignant.

"What do you mean what am I doing?" he shouted. "I'm kidnapping you, of course!"

Hermione tried desperately to stop laugh and took some deep breaths before answering.

"Yeah, I'm with you so far, Sherlock;" she said and paid no attention to Goyles confused expression. "What do you want? And where's Malfoy?"

Goyle gasped. "Why would you think I need Draco? I can kidnap a mudblood all by myself, thank you very much."

She was silent, and then she started her unstoppable laughter yet again. "You're doing this w-w-without M-Malfoy?" she was practically crying with amusement now.

"Yeah," Goyle huffed indignantly. "What's it to you?"

"It's just that," Hermione paused to break into gasps of laughter again, "you're so bloody stupid!"

"Am not! I succeeded in kidnapping you, didn't I?"

Hermione went silent. He had a point there.

"Yeah alright," she admitted. "What's in it for you?"

He stood in front of her and put on what he must've thought was an evil smirk.

"I am going to kill Harry Potter."

Hermione bit the insides of her cheeks in order to not laugh out loud, but failed miserably. Goyle glared at her and sat down on an old wooden chair. After a while of just sitting there in silence he spoke up.

"Fancy a game of chess?"

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" Hermione exclaimed.

So they went back into silence. After another while of absolute boredom Hermione sighed. "Well, alright."

* * *

**A/N: Hehe, didn't see that coming! Tell me what you think of it. And thanks to all those who reviewed the last chapter, you're lovely! TTFN.**


	10. Kidnapping isn't what it used to be

'No,' Ronald Weasley thought helplessly as he was standing in the deserted common room. 'Please no.'

Hermione was gone. He ran up the stairs to his dormatory and snapped away Harrys curtains. He instantly wished he hadn't. Panicking, he tried to pull back the curtain, whimpering like a girl.

"Ron!" Ginny shrieked from Harrys bed. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Nothing, nothing," he whimpered while furiously trying to cover his eyes. "You have to help me, Hermione's gone!"

Both Harry and Ginny bolted upright.

"What!" Ginny shouted at the same time Harry said: "How do you know that!"

"What do you mean 'how do I know?'" Ron asked incredously.

"She's supposed to be in her bedroom, how do you know she's not?" Harry asked. Then he saw Rons ears turning red and his eyes flicker to the floor. His eyes widened. "You were with her?" he barked. "Past one a.m.! I swear, if you snogged her and then just left her I'll –"

"You'll what?" Ron growled.

"Hermione's like a sister to me, you git! I can't believe you just left her –"

"For you information," Ron roared, "YOU snog MY sister around the clock!"

"But I don't leave her," Harry growled.

"Neither did I," Ron said, calmer now. "We fell asleep on the couch in the common room, and when I woke up she was gone."

Harry growled something nasty under his breath.

"Mate," Ron warned him, "you are in bed with my sister. I wouldn't push my luck if I were you."

"Okay," Harry sighed.

"So," Ginny interrupted, "are we done with the testosterone parade now?" The boys nodded. "Good. How do you know that Hermione's not in her bed?"

"Because I checked on the Marauders Map," Ron said, carefully not mentioning that he went up to the girls dorm.

Harry sighed. This was not good. How were they going to find here if she wasn't on the map?

----------

'No,'Gregory Goyle thought helplessly. 'Please no.'

"Checkmate!" the bushy-haired girl in front of him exclaimed with triumph. "Pay up, Goylie!"

Goyle muttered something under his breath and searched his pocket, getting out a galleon.

"Well?" Hermione said as he just let it lay in his big hand.

He looked from the large coin to the tied up girl in front of him. "Uh, what are you going to do with it? You're kind of... tied up."

"I still have pockets you know?" she sighed exasparatedly.

Goyle looked at the coin again. Then at Hermione. Then at the coin. "Oh I get it!"

He stroded forward and put the galleon in her pocket. "There."

Hermione sighed as the boredom washed over her once again, and watched Goyle sit back down on his lanky chair. It was a little miracle that it didn't break beneath his weight.

"How long are you going to keep me here, exactly?" she whined. "I'm bored."

"Oh," Goyle looked around him to find something for them to do. Finding nothing, he continued. "We have to wait for Potter. 'Cause I'm gonna – you know – kill him."

Hermione didn't laugh this time. What made Goyle think that he'd succeed in killing the Boy-Who-Lived, she would never understand. Didn't he feel like it was impossible?

"Why are you really doing this?" she asked him slowly.

Goyle looked up from his hands that lay in his lap. Then he sighed and drove a hand over his short hair. "I don't know," he said in a small voice. "It's just like... who am I? What have I ever accomplished? It's always Draco who gets things done. I don't want to be – you know – the sidekick or something..."

Hermione let a small smile play over her lips. "I know that feeling too well," she admitted. "It's not always easy being the Chosen Ones best mate."

They looked at each other in understanding. Then Goyle started to reset the chessboard.

"You're not winning this time, missy, I assure you."

Hermione laughed heartily. "Just watch me."

----------

This wasn't happening. Ron had thought it over carefully, and decided that it wasn't happening.

"Ron," Ginny said, grabbing his arms as to stop him from pacing around the common room. "Stop it. This is happening."

He shot up his head at her. Had she been reading his mind?

"We just need to find her right now," Ginny said softly. "And we will. Okay?"

He nodded numbly. But what if they didn't?

"Okay," Harry said sternly, shooting up from the couch. "I'm gonna go punch Malfoy."

Ginny and Ron looked at each other and sprinted for the steaming Harry Potter.

----------

The portrait covering the entrance to Slytherin House glared at them.

"Password?" he wheezed.

"Uhm," Ron said. "I dunno. Evil?"

Ginny looked at the painting hopefully, but no such luck.

"No," the slithery man stated. "Password?"

The youngest Weasleys looked at each other helplessly. How had Harry managed to go through?

"Excuse me, Mr. Slithery... Slytherin Portrait Guy," Ginny said in an attempt to be polite, but failing mercilessly. "Did a black-haired boy go through here?"

Mr. Slithery Portrait Guy looked at her offendedly, but then his frown turned into a wicked smile. "I like you, girl. Got spine. Yes, a dark boy went past me just a moment ago."

Ron laughed inwardly despite himself. The Slytherin portrait liked Ginny. He glanced at his sister who was looking absolutely appalled.

"We're friends of his," Ron said when he'd managed to pull himself together.

"We really need to find him before he does something stupid," Ginny said. "Without me," Ron added under his breath. Ginny glared at him.

"Password?" said the portrait.

"Damn it!" Ron swore in exaspiration. "That evil blonde cochroach!"

Ginny elbowed him in the stomach. "It's not gonna be something as stupid as –" she came to an abrupt halt as the portrait slowly swung open. "Damn."

They stepped into the Slytherin common room and gasped. Malfoy was lying on the floor with Harrys hands around his throat. Ginny shrieked and ran to pull Harry off him as Ron ran to lend him an extra hand or two.

"Stop it!"Ginny demanded. "If you kill him we'll never know what happened to Hermione!"

The Gryffindor boys stopped the strangling instantly, looked at each other, nodded and pulled the blonde boy up to his feet, gasping for air.

"You... are... absolutely... off... your... sackers..." Malfoy whimpered between breaths.

Ginny sighed as she took hold of her Ron and Harrys arms to keep them from coming at the Slytherin once again. After she'd calmed them, she approached Malfoy, pushing him down into the leather couch and looking him menacingly in the eye.

"Talk, dimwit."

* * *

**A/N: This has taken me awhile, I know. I've had lots of schoolwork, plus I've been forced to babysit my lovely cousins the past two weekends. Not much time or energy left for fanfiction, but now I'm back with full force! -lol- Please review, it makes me really happy ) I will hurry up with the next chapter, tell me if you like it!**


	11. Stupidity in it's truest form

Draco Malfoy flinched a bit when that damned Weasley girl put a foot firmly over his crotch. Was she trying to _turn him on_? He gasped as she pressed the foot down harshly. No, not turn him on. Hurt him really bad.

"Where is she?" the Weasley girl demanded. Draco looked down at the foot that was currently assaulting his nether region. He glanced around them. The mudblood was missing. This was just too good to pass up.

"And why should I tell you?" he leered, amusement flooding through him. The foot pressed down and he gasped in pain.

The Weasley girl - Ginny was her name, wasn't it? – looked like she wouldn't pass up murder. Draco suddenly realized that maybe, just maybe, this wasn't a good idea. The Weasel looked almost close to tears, and Potty was cracking his knuckles, glaring at him in white rage. _What now?_ he wondered. _How should I play this?_

The foot that was currently crushing his privates lifted a bit, and he let out a breath. Suddenly, he couldn't see anything but white spots. The _damn _Weasley girl had heeled him in the crotch! Blind tears rolled down his cheeks, and he whimpered.

"Okay, okay," Draco grunted and rubbed at the pain that was coursing through him. Ginny grimaced, and he sneered threatingly at her. "I don't know where your beloved mudbl- " he stopped himself at the look on Weasel's face, "_bookworm_ is. And, as a matter of fact, I couldn't bloody care less."

It didn't even take a second for the three Gryffindors to jump him and start beating him senseless.

-----

"Well," Hermione Granger smiled, "it seems as if you, my dear friend, owe me twenty-four galleons! Oh, and, I almost forgot, four chocolate frogs. Ron would be so proud."

Gregory Goyle grimaced and pushed the chessboard off the table and down on the floor, where it shattered with a bang as all pieces flew in different directions.

"I will not stand for that kind of behaviour!" Hermione scolded. "Apologize!"

"Sorry," Goyle grunted unhappily, "I hate losing, is all."

Hermione smiled gently. "There, there. That wasn't so hard, now, was it?"

The, let's face it, _over-weight _man shook his head, but gasped as an explosion could be heard. The Shack swayed dangerously, making Hermione's eyes widen in fear.

"Goyle! Do you know who is doing this?"

"Uh-uh." Goyle's small pigs-eyes were wide and blank.

They both turned towards the door, anticipating it to open. It did, with a loud bang, and a _huge _figure stood in the doorway. Hermione and Goyle both gasped.

"_Crabbie_?" Goyle leered. "What're you doing here, huh?"

"Greg, you are the stupidiest pillock I've ever –"

"Shut up!" Goyle interrupted Crabbe and slammed his hand onto the table. "You're not the boss!"

Crabbe walked up to him. "No, I'm not, but Draco is! What would he say if he saw you like this?"

Hermione felt immensely annoyed. "Like _what_, exactly? He succeeded in kidnapping me from right under Ron's nose, did he not? He has kept me here without anyone, save you, finding out, has he not?"

Crabbe scratched his chin, apparently thinking hard. Hermione sighed; this was going to take a while.

"Got a point, she does!" he burst out after a good five minutes of hard pondering. "But why isn't she good and tied up?"

Goyle looked confused for a minute. "We played chess."

Crabbe looked equally confused. "Oh."

Hermione was on the verge of tears. She would never – _never _– undermine Ron's intelligence again. Only now had she ever encountered stupidity in it's truest form. And it spelled Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe.

-----

"Ginny," Harry wheezed, "it's _me _you're strangling!"

"Sorry!" Ginny shrieked as Ron accidentally pulled her hair. "Ow!"

"My bad!" came a muffled voice.

"We really should stop!" Harry gasped as someone kicked him in the chin.

"Yeah, we should!"

Harry took a deep breath. "On the count of three. Three!"

They all let go of each other and flew into separate walls. Ginny gasped for breath and looked around.

"Hey, where's Malfoy?"

They all looked around in a confused manner.

Draco wished himself congratulations for his intelligence as he made his way towards the Shrieking Shack…

* * *

**A/N: I realize that I've probably lost all of my readers and reviewers since I haven't updated in months. I'm truly sorry for this, and I will finish this story. No way am I letting go! So, if you still read and review, I'll be incredibly thankful. And I will update faster. Thanks.**


	12. Huh?

"No, my dear boys, when you cast the Itching Hex you should not flick your wand, but swoosh it gently."

"Ooooh," said the two large boys, who were sitting on the dusty board floor.

"I've never learned this much before in my life," Crabbe grunted in Goyle's general direction.

"Me neither," said Goyle, looking up at Hermione in awe.

Hermione waved away the compliment.

"Now you're just trying to make me blush," she tutted.

Goyle and Crabbe grunted with laughter.

'Where in the name of Merlin is Ron bloody Weasley?' Hermione thought furiously as she saw Malfoy's minions roll around on the floor, laughing at something that Hermione couldn't believe anyone thought funny. The floor rumbled warningly, and she realized that maybe it couldn't hold much longer. 'Now would be a capital time for a rescue mission, thanks.'

------

" I can't believe we fought each other instead of fighting Malfoy!" Ron burst out from his spot on the cold stone floor of the corridor outside Slytherin House, slapping his forehead.

"Yeah, I know," said Ginny in a pondering voice. "You two fight like a bunch of girls."

"Hey," said Harry weakly. After a meaningful look from Ginny, his shoulders slumped. "Ah, who am I kidding?"

"No one, love," said Ginny, kissing his cheek.

"Am I the only one who remembers that Hermione is gone?" Ron growled at the couple, who had suddenly become involved in a heavy snogging session next to him on the floor. "And also, eugh! If I never see you two do _that_ again, it will be far too soon."

"Sorry, mate," Harry muttered, grabbing his glasses which had landed on the floor in the spur of the moment.

Ginny sat up as well, thinking hard about Hermione's disappearance. "Guys," she said after a couple of minutes. "If Hermione was taken from, or right outside of, the common room, isn't there someone who has to have seen her?"

Ron and Harry looked at each other in complete confusion.

"Luna?" said Harry, shrugging.

Ginny, who had been prepared for the right answer, deflated slightly. "Why on earth would it be Luna?"

"I don't know," Harry mumbled. "She usually sees stuff."

Ron, frowning slightly, stared at Ginny. Then his features shone up.

"The Fat Lady!" he shouted, making the halls echo and Harry shriek.

------

Draco slowly came closer to the door hole. Tip-toeing to stand next to it, he listened intently to the conversation that was taking place inside the room before him.

"No, I won't do it," said that Mudblood, sounding rather upset.

"You have to," Goyle or Crabbe grunted. _Honestly, seven years of them kissing my behind, and I still can't hear any difference in their voices! Or grunts, more like_.

"No," said Granger, sounding like a petulant child.

Draco grinned gleefully. The gits weren't exactly intelligent, miles from it, but they did one thing deliciously well.

Using their fists to make people do what they tell them to.

Expecting to hear a slap and a scream, he almost slipped and fell onto the unbelievably dusty floor when he heard what Crabbe – or Goyle – said next.

"Please?"

They were begging her? _Begging_ her? To do what, exactly?

He slowly peeked around the doorframe, hoping to see the Mudblood lying bloody bloody on the bloody floor, but he found something _completely_ different.

They were playing cards.

Draco fainted.

------

"My dear schildren… Nothing would pleashe me more than being able to accommodate you with the correct ansher."

The three stooges – sorry, _Gryffindors _stared blankly at the painting before them.

"Are you kidding me?" Ron growled and clenched his hands until his knuckles turned white.

The Fat Lady looked affronted and sniffed, "I most shertainly is _not _attempting to be humoroush, mishter Weashley." Then she gave a loud belch. "Pardon me! I am humiliated!"

Feeling immensely happy that the belch of a painted person obviously didn't reek, Ginny took a step closer to the portrait, barely touching the Fat Lady's nose with her own.

"Talk, lady," she ordered simply.

The Fat Lady looked at him in complete confusion, then she glanced at Ron and Harry, both trying hard not to laugh.

"You won't do anything about it," the painted woman said confidently, crossing her arms.

_Well, she doesn't look very drunk anymore, does she?_ thought Ginny ruefully.

"I could always run and get Professor Binns if you'd like?" Ginny said, faux-helpful. "He might have something _long_ and _interesting_ to say about this…"

"NO!"

"You don't want me to run and fetch your fine colleague for a quick chat? Well, then. Talk."

The obese, though painted, lady sighed deeply and began to talk. "Alright then. But if you tell anyone that I am the one who told you, if so help me Merlin I WILL make you hurt, _alright_?" The three Gryffindors were stunned at hearing these kinds of expressions exiting the Fat Lady's mouth, so they just nodded.

"So, if that's that, I will tell you who kidnapped Hermione Granger…"

The three of them moved closer.

"It was… Gregory Goyle."

The whole hall turned quiet. Then it erupted in laughter and slappings of backs.

------

Draco Malfoy was not a person who got slapped often. In fact, it had only occurred once, when he had been the tender age of thirteen.

He got slapped by a girl called Hermione Granger.

Directly after this incident, he swore that this would never happen again. But, alas, he was wrong.

Because who was slapping him silly from cheek to cheek as he started to come to, if not earlier mentioned Miss Granger?

"Oh, hell," he groaned.

"And he's awake!" said Granger triumphantly, hopping up to stand.

_Was she straddling me? _he thought furiously. _I'm going to kill her._

"I'm going to kill you, Granger," he rasped.

The bushy-haired girl gave a tinkling laugh and he felt like puking all over her brownish boring shoes.

"No, I don't think so," she said, sounding like she knew something he didn't.

"And why is that?" he asked, awkwardly trying to sit but ended up leaning back on his elbows.

"Because I've got your wand," she grinned.

_Damn it._

"OK, give it back so it's fair," Draco said, holding out his hand.

"Not a chance, Malfoy," said that dreadful girl. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

Draco couldn't say that he did, since it was official that Granger was one of the smartest students ever to enrol at Hogwarts. He looked up at the two big lumps of fat. None of them seemed to be conscious. They just stood there looking at different parts of the cabin.

"Goyle? Crabbe?" he said uncertainly. Had she hexed them or something?

"Huh?" said Goyle. "Sorry, I just noticed a huge spider over in that corner."

Nope, thought Draco. Just as stupid as usual.

Suddenly they all heard an enormous crash and in fell three Gryffindor's.

Draco took the opportunity to jump up and grab his wand from Granger's hand.

"So," he said in his most evil voice. "We meet again."

"Uh, yeah?" grunted Ginny from somewhere in the pile.

"Hermione!" Ron jumped to his feet and started making his way over to her, relief flushing his face.

"Ron," Hermione sighed. "Finally."

"Hold it right there," said Draco, grabbing Hermione's neck from behind. "Unless you want your girlfriend to die."

Crabbe sneezed loudly.

------

I know I've probably lost all of my readers, but I couldn't resist continuing this even though it's been so long. It's ending soon anyways. Tell me what you think, please.


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